We recently installed new vinyl windows for a customer in an older home backing onto Highway 7, who was constantly plagued with high-traffic noise. The original windows were inefficient single-pane sliders. We installed double-pane casements with argon gas and 4 mill / 3 mill glass. The argon gas dampens sound, acting as an insulator. The different thickness in 4 mill / 3 mill glass breaks up the sound waves, again reducing sound. The casement design, with two compression seals and one brush seal is the most efficient design to minimize air and sound infiltration. The installation was done brick to brick, allowing for a high-density foam insulation to be applied around the frame, again preventing air and sound from entering the house.
The installation resulted in a dramatic reduction in unwanted traffic noise and was achieved at a very reasonable cost to the homeowner. In future blogs we will discuss other sound reducing window installations, which although more expensive, offer further benefits, such as added security and performance. These include, foam filled frames, triple glass, laminated glass, Krypton gas and new from ‘Vinyl Built’, SSP (sound, security and performance) glass.
